Located in the entrance area of the University Hospital courtyard is a simple circular pool fountain with a concrete pillar at its centre that supports Three Heads, a stone sculpture by Alexander Ilečko. According to the inventory in Ilečko's monograph, it was carved into Dobrá Voda limestone. It depicts three heads of young females that are organically merged into one shape. All bear identical expressions – calm, almost dreamy – and each face is framed by an elaborate hairstyle, the form of which resembles a cap worn by nurses or even nuns. The facial features are rendered smoothly, whereas the hair is rougher and more textured, creating a contrast between the two elements while simultaneously blending and complementing them seamlessly. Within his work, Alexander Ilečko has long explored the theme of the female head, depicting not only what is visible, but focusing on what remains hidden from sight. In this case, he approached the head as a motif for sculptural composition in an unusual manner. We see the same expression from each side. By multiplying the motif and combining it into a unified whole, he broke the rule that the head has its own opposite, turned away, less friendly aspect. Ilečko's composition within the hospital courtyard gives arriving and departing visitors the same view. Kind and caring faces watch over and guard the surrounding space, wherever you happen to be. This ingenious sculptural game therefore has a parallel symbolic dimension – it refers to the place and function of the hospital – offering patients hope and attention from every angle. At the same time, it references A. P. Chekhov's famous play Three Sisters. Alexander Ilečko moved in literary circles, counting several Slovak writers among his close friends, and it is likely that he found inspiration in literature.  

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Research status as of 31. 12. 2023.